Vol. 466 No. 2
39 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for the Marine if he will examine the case of a person (details supplied) in County Waterford who received grant aid from Bord Iascaigh Mhara in respect of a newly purchased replacement boat and who was advised that additional aid could be obtained from the EU which was duly applied for but was disallowed on the grounds that the EU was seeking a reduction in the Irish fishing fleet by December 1996. [11008/96]
The position is that current national policy in relation to the fishing fleet is to direct EU grants towards the modernisation of existing fishing vessels. EU funds under Ireland's Operational Programme for Fisheries 1994-99 are not currently being allocated to vessel construction projects. Accordingly, no EU funding could have been provided in the case cited by the Deputy. As the Deputy is aware, I have requested the Department to review the future directions of fleet policy.
The Department is in touch with An Bord Iascaigh Mhara, BIM, in relation to the specific matters raised by the Deputy and I will communicate further with the Deputy when I have examined the BIM report on the case.
